By Joseph J. Mazzella

I was ten years old riding my bicycle at break-neck speed down a hill near my home. This was long before bike helmets were used and I am sure I was making my poor, old, gray-haired guardian angel work overtime again.

Only a month before I had hit a rock in the road, flown over my handlebars and smashed open my skull. I had walked home bleeding, terrified my Mom, and gotten a trip to the hospital to have my skull stitched shut again. The memory of a boy is brief, however, so here I was back on my bike, flying fearlessly down a hill again.

I was picking up speed as I neared a curve in the road. I started to hit my brakes when I saw it: a pothole in the road. Not wanting to go flying over the handlebars again I twisted my wheel and stomped on my foot brakes as hard as I could. I could hear the tires skidding as I flew off the bike. Thankfully, this time I landed on my back and in the soft grass of the field along the side of the road. I got up and laughed. I was happy to be alive and ready for one more ride before heading home. I doubt that my guardian angel felt the same way.

These days I am fifty one years old and my bike riding days are far behind me. I try not to stress my guardian angel too much these days either. I am sure I made him work hard enough when I was a boy. These days, my adventures involve hugging my boys and petting my dogs. Still, each day when I wake up in the morning I am happy to be alive. Each day when I open my eyes I am ready for one more ride through this life before heading home. I am not sure how many days, months, or years I have left but I am determined to live them all in laughter, love and joy.

Life is a glorious adventure. Its most exciting parts, though, aren’t when you risk your neck. They are when you share your heart. May you give your love freely then to God, to yourself, and to everyone else. May you make your ride through this life a joyous one for everyone you can.